Letters to the Editor — March 20, 2013

Wednesday

Mar 20, 2013 at 3:15 AM

To the editor: Regarding the uncertainty about repairs to the Miami, I wonder about the quality of thinking of the union rep (O’Connor) who wanted a longer sentence for Fury. That would do nothing to affect the decision the Navy is facing. That would not deter someone like Fury who was not capable of thinking through his actions to anticipate consequences of being caught and punished. And if the union rep is a Christian, I wonder how he reconciles that urge to punish with the Gospel as taught by Jesus?

Amy Champagne

Barrington

To the editor: Former NBA star Dennis Rodman would not have been my first choice for a diplomatic envoy to North Korea. Although a very gifted athlete, Rodman sometimes has difficulty communicating his abstract ideas with words. Hence, I was unable to derive much from his interviews regarding his recent foray into foreign policy that had him surreally sitting courtside with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un at a Harlem Globetrotters game. However, it is abundantly clear that the DPRK is every bit eccentric as Dennis Rodman; therefore, I can see how the visit may have served as more than just propaganda for the DPRK regime. Rodman’s unorthodoxy may actually have had some efficacy and created some diplomatic space that has eluded us since 1950.

We should consider benchmarking the “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” of 1971, when the first Americans (U.S. Table Tennis Team) were allowed into China following the Communist takeover in 1949. Unofficial Ping-Pong matches with the Chinese laid the foundation for subsequent official talks and the re-establishment of diplomatic and trade ties with China.

Our Secretary of Defense is no doubt re-evaluating all overseas missions in search of potential discriminate defense cuts. The long-standing U.S.-South Korean security alliance achieved its goals many years ago, which means it’s time to diligently work toward a long overdue peaceful reunification between the two Koreas. We have 28,500 troops stationed at numerous installations in South Korea with annual expenditures of $15-50 billion dollars.

There is a hefty peace dividend to be achieved if the Korean peninsula were reunified. Kim Jong Un apparently loves basketball and North and South Korea share our nation’s enthusiasm for sports. Dennis Rodman’s recent visit should be used as a launching pad for a basketball exhibition tour of the Korean peninsula by a delegation of NBA Stars. The North Korean people, indoctrinated to hate us, would receive an unforgettable taste of freedom and reprieve from the revolution. This “Basketball Diplomacy” could be instrumental in breaking the back of the oppressive DPRK regime and lead to three-way talks between President Obama (a huge basketball fan/player) and his two Korean counterparts.

Wayne H. Merritt

Dover

To the editor: We learn from the Department of Agriculture yet another federal government enterprise that could be done away with, thus lessening the deficit.

Seems the Government has made loans to sugar companies to the tune of $862 million. With the glut of sugar from a bumper crop this year, these unknown companies, the USDA refuses to divulge their names, may not be able to repay these loans made to them with taxpayer dollars. The solution? The USDA proposes buying up 400,000 tons of sugar, with taxpayer dollars I might add, so that these companies can repay the other taxpayer dollars lent to them! We have the money to do this but not the money to pay our Air Guard personnel or our shipyard workers who work to defend our nation.

For those of you old enough to remember the Walt Kelly comic strip, the phrase mouthed by Pogo the Possum, “We has met the enemy and they is us” was never more truer than it is today. And yet I hear little from the New Hampshire Congressional delegation about the absurdity of these things.

John Linville

Dover

To the editor: So the state feels it needs to penalize us for the privilege of driving on our states highways by raising the gas tax. With all the technology available in today’s world, more specifically, traffic cams the state and local municipalities could collect enough fines that the gas tax could be eliminated. The tax is only going to hurt the working class. Traffic cams could catch red light runners, stop sign runners and most of all, speeders.

Now there is talk of raising the speed limits in some areas. That’s ridiculous. I set my cruise on Spaulding at 62 mph where it is only 55 mph; I seem to be holding up traffic. They fly by me at a rate of at least 75 mph in most cases. Who cares? I’ve been on routes 93 and 89 where it is already 65 mph and there too cars pass me like I’m standing still. So if they raise those limits to 70 or 75, some will just consider that a challenge.

Get real and penalize the ones that deserve it.

Keith Lotter

Rollinsford

To the editor: I am writing to express my dismay at School Board member Daniel Harkinson and his proposal to cut the Magnet School.

Rochester launched into the public arena by opening the first magnet school in the state. The decision to transform a small, underutilized yet still functional neighborhood school into a cross-community magnet school showed ingenuity, creativity and effort, but most of all, a sense of progression in education by all involved. The magnet school put Rochester on the map as a town reforming a stale education system.

I have had residents from districts statewide and as varied as Manchester to Durham, mention they have been following and impressed with the magnet school in Rochester. An investment has been made in education, our children and our town that needs to be maintained. Closing the magnet school will be a local and state wide loss, a loss to the progression and modernization of education finally incorporating technology and hands on learning into the classroom.

Magnet school interest meetings and lottery submissions remained high through this spring, it is obvious the school is succeeding and Rochester parents need an option.

If closing the magnet school and shuffling everyone back to their original spaces with no option, no hope, no sports and no progression is the best we can do then let’s send out sharpies to every district in the state to literally scribble Rochester off the map as effectively that is the proposal

Katherine Brown

Gonic

To the editor: This is in response to Mr. Jim Marston’s letter appearing on 15 Mar 2013 entitled “Gun Reality”.

It’s apparent that Mr. Marston can/will not quite so easily change his opinion on the discussion about gun rights and the Second Amendment. Though he once again wishes to assert that the government has no intention of taking people’s guns, he does little to persuade the readers of this other than to proffer an opinion. As a matter of fact, he builds a strong case why the government can’t be trusted citing how they’ve infringed upon other amendments.

Several years ago when I joined the workforce full time, I was provided the opportunity to attend a course that was being offered that would assist me as an inside sales representative. This course was the Dale Carnegie Course on Public Speaking and Human Relations. One of the points expressed in the course was what the primary purpose of “communication” was. To paraphrase, it essentially boiled down to convincing the other party of your point of view. So when we communicate through this medium, it’s better to offer something other than talking points if you truly wish to be “part of the conversation” and convince others to your point of view — tell us how you get from point A to point Z.

At any rate, let us try to put this whole issue back into perspective. Our government works for us, not the other way around. They are public servants. By definition, that would make us — We the People — the masters, not the other way around. Read the Constitution if you have the opportunity and you should see one prominent tone — it was written to restrict the government, not the people. When you revisit it you will see such things as, “Congress shall make no law ...”, “the right of the people ... shall not be infringed”, “No soldier shall..”, etc. All are restrictions placed upon the Government, not the other way around.

If I missed the delineated restrictions in it that are imposed directly on the people, I trust you will correct me on this point. At what point did this body take it upon itself to set itself up as the master and tell us what we are permitted to do?

As to the whether the Government would take all our guns, you may not think so, but Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Il.) certainly seems to have plans to go as far as she can. It seems to me that even if you would consider her on the “fringe” of what the liberal arm believes, it’s certain she feels emboldened by the recent events. One can only wonder how many others feel the same way as she does ...

I have nothing to gain from all of this other than to hopefully protect me and mine (family and property) and maybe educate and/or protect others in spite of themselves. What I get from folks who so willingly and blindly trust the undeserving Government is a grave concern for this great country. Anyone who can only offer words of opinion without being able to support their views are indeed worrisome. Back when President Bush was in office, I think the liberals were all about “connecting the dots” about what transpired on 9/11. I think the same should be done on this issue. You should be able to do this rather easily when you look at the Government’s action in all our affairs and couple that with history.

James Cloutier

Milton

To the editor: I would like to thank all those who showed their support for me in the recent Farmington town elections that were held on March 12. Even though I did not secure a seat on the Board of Selectman, I know those elected — Paula Proulx and Matt Scruton — will serve the residents of Farmington to the best of their ability.

This outcome also shows to me that there are those who wish to see me continue my work with the Conservation Commission which I will with the same enthusiasm I have for the past six years.